My Mysterious Pony
by StevenTLawson
Summary: What if in Bridle Gossip, it wasn't Zecora that was the cloaked stranger everypony was weary of. After all she's lived in town, or outside it for years. But instead somepony who showed up and bought an old abandoned manor in the Everfree Forest, all they know is he's large and scary.
1. Chapter 1

A violet coated unicorn walked through the desolate roads of Ponyville, she swiveled her head back and forth looking for signs of movement, "Huh, where is everypony?" her voice all but echoing in the empty streets.

"Dunno, maybe it's a holiday?" the small purple dragon riding her back question as he scratched his head with a claw.

Squinting her eyes, she saw a shadowy figure move in the distance, "Excuse me?" she shouted to the pony, that looked a little large at this distance, but either they did not hear or chose to ignore her as they stepped out of the town limits and into the wild Everfree Forest. Before she could question it further building next to her opened its door.

"Is he gone?" a white unicorn with curled purple hair stuck her head out of the shop.

Twilight startled at the sudden presence of another pony, after the short walk through town had been so quiet, let out a little shriek. "Rarity!" she shouted, "What is going on? Why were you hiding and who was that?" she fired off her questions to her fashionable female friend.

"Ugh, right," a voice from above her said. "You spend so much time in those books that you don't see a lot of the comings and goings on in town," a blue pegasus with a rainbow main and tail spoke from her place on a cloud.

"Rainbow Dash?" the purple unicorn tilted her head in confusion, "You're afraid if this pony too?"

Scoffing at the notion of fear, "Pssh, nah." Rainbow Dash said as she nervously looked around, "It's just, he's like really creepy and everypony else is staying away so, you know?" she said rotating her hooves around in a circle, before fluttering her wings so she would land on the ground below.

"Howdy, is The Stranger gone now?" an orange pony with blonde hair tailed in a ponytail asked as she poked her head out of a barrel.

"Applejack?" the purple unicorn sensing a trend loudly shouted, "Ok, who else is hiding?" her eyes widening at how practically every pony in Ponyville started to come out of houses, barrels and even a few bushes. "What is going on here?"

The loud clearing of a throat behind her garnered her attention, "Ms. Sparkle. I am Mayor Mare and I believe I am able to answer your questions," a gray maned yet still youthful looking pony walked over to her. "The Stranger, as Miss Apple so eloquently named, is well, strange and scary."

Raising an eyebrow at this non-informative information, "Okayyy… and?" Twilight inquired further.

Pawing her hoof on the ground, "Well he just showed up a few days after the Summer Sun Celebration and bought a house."

Twilight starting to become annoyed at how little she was learning, "Again what is going on though?"

"Well he bought one of the reclaimed houses." The mayor sheepishly said.

"And those are?" Twilight kept pushing through one question at a time.

"Well sug, back when Ponyville was being settled," Applejack came over, knowing much of the town's history. She began to regale her friend with some of it, "Plenty o' pony came over like the Apple family done. But some of them were just looking for a large plot of land to build on, far away from the rules and laws of the bigger cities. As a result, we ended up with some pretty dang huge manors on the outskirts of town." She pointed to the edge of Ponyville. "But the Everfree Forest, grew larger and took over the area, driving away the residents, on a count of it being scary and dangerous, no pony could live there."

"So, this new pony moves in and buys a house in the middle of the woods and now everypony is terrified of him?" Twilight looked at her friend, "Wait, how come this new pony didn't get a Pinkie Party when he moved into town like I did?"

"Oh, that's because I don't throw parties for Slenderponies," Pinkie Pie calmly said as she crawled down the wall of a nearby building from its awning.

"Uh, Slenderpony?" Twilight looked at the pink party pony with more questions on her tongue.

Hopping over to her friends she loudly cheered, "Yup, tall, can't see the face, lives in the forest, abducts fillies and eats them, has a cult following on the internet, even a theatrical release."

Scared at the notion of a cannibal living so close by, "Wait he's been fillynapping and eating them?! Why hasn't the royal guard been informed of this?" Twilight all but screamed in fright.

"Well, no one's gone missing, silly that's why." Pinkie said as she ate a cupcake.

"But you just said."

Shaking her head back and forth, "No I said that's what they do, not what he did."

"So he might not be a slender… I'm not dignifying that with a response," turning back to the other townsfolk. "Has this pony done anything harmful or otherwise insidious since showing up in town?" Twilight waited to hear any pony confirm any evil activity of this new resident, hearing none, she turned back to the mayor. "So he's just really tall, isn't Applejack's brother really tall?"

"Well yeah pardner', but this pony don't talk neither," Applejack stated.

"Oh come on, I don't think I've heard more than a E'yup or a Nope from your brother and I spent some time with him." Twilight countered.

"When did you do that?" Applejack eyed her unicorn friend.

Blushing slightly, "That's not important, but so what, The Stranger is just oddly quiet."

Rainbow Dash flew into the purple unicorn's face, "How about that cloak he's always wearing, awful strange to wear clothing all the time."

Twilight's face fell, "Rainbow Dash," she grabbed the pegasus' cheeks in her hooves, turning her to look at Rarity, "Your friend wears clothing all the time."

"Well darling not all the time, just for breakfast, lunch, parties, oh and brunch, when I sleep, or if I go to… hehe," the white unicorn chuckled, "So I may wear clothes more often than other ponies."

"So he's a little odd and a bit big, nothing about that screams evil nightmare monster," Twilight confidently told the crowd.

"Except we don't know his name," the mayor added.

Twilight nodded, "Right, except that we don't know his name. Wait, how, if he bought a house, wouldn't he have to sign something?"

The mayor motioned for the librarian to follow her, "Normally yes, if you are buying property or a plot of land, then there are numerous forms, signatures, inspections and so on. It's a long process and takes a while." The group which consisted of Twilight, Mayor Mare, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Applejack walked down the main road to the center of town, which housed the town hall.

As the group entered the building and walked into the records office, Mayor Mare continued, "Now while the reclaimed houses are large and, in some cases, fully furnished, they are incredibly cheap compared to living here in Ponyville. On account of them being in the Everfree Forest and thus outside most of the protections the town offers. As a result not many ponies consider purchasing them."

"And this new pony purchases one of these homes without somehow signing his name?" Twilight asked.

The mayor looked at the ground guiltily. "Technically, he just pulled the financial paperwork for the manor out of a drawer, set it on the desk and dropped a giant sack of bits on my desk and walked away," As the mayor reached into a drawer and pulled out the paperwork. "Didn't even say a word, and I am ashamed to admit, I accepted the offer." Hanging her head down, "The town needed the money and he was paying what the house would be valued at if it wasn't a reclaimed property. So I may have just put the deed in a drawer and left it be."

Twilight looked annoyed, "So we have no idea who this pony is, just that they are reclusive, tall, mysterious and wealthy." Shaking her head at the notion, "Why does this pony sound like he's straight out of a cheesy romance novel."

"Oh I love those darling, especially the ones where the stallion takes the mare and just…" Rarity started before suddenly remembering the crowd, she blushed and whispered, "I'll tell you about them later."

"Well ignoring how crazy you all sound, I say the simplest solution to all of this is to go and greet this new pony," Twilight said confidently.

"Are you nuts," Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "This is a pony who lives in an abandoned manor in the Everfree Forest, he's a total psycho, you can't go meet somepony like that."

"Aww, Rainbow Dash, you really do care," Twilight cooed. "If you're that scared for my safety you girls are welcome to come with me." She teased.

"I already told you, I'm. Not. Scared," the Pegasus snarled, punctuating her words with hard stops.

"Great then you won't have a problem going with me to make a new friend," Twilight cheered as she skipped out of the office.

"Grrr," Rainbow Dash growled, "I can't. She's so. Ugh, fine. Somepony has to keep the egghead from losing her head." Before she flew out of the town hall after her friend, followed by everypony except the mayor.

After a few minutes Twilight had reached the edge of the Everfree Forest, seeing a familiar pink mane she called out happily, "Fluttershy, over here." Waving her arm to get her friends attention.

The delicate yellow pony gently flew over to Twilight, her soft voice barely above a whisper, "Oh hello Twilight, what brings you so close to the forest?"

"Well, if you must know, I'm going to go and meet the newest resident of Ponyville," Twilight smiled.

Letting out a startled gasp Fluttershy flew in front of Twilight before she could take a step forward. "No, you can't do that."

"And why not?"

Fluttershy looked over her shoulder into the dark woods, "Because he's scary."

"Not you too, come on, have you even met him yet?" Twilight questioned her cowardly friend as she began walking again.

Making herself smaller, Fluttershy meekly responded, "No, but all the forest animals stay away from him, even the Ursa Major."

Pausing as she stepped passed her friend, "What was that?"

"The Ursa Major doesn't go near The Stranger," Fluttershy repeated.

"Okay, wow that's definitely strange and foreboding." Twilight admitted, "But still just because the animals of the forest don't act natural around this pony doesn't mean we can't." She cautiously took another step forward before more voices behind her stopped her progress.

"Wait, we're coming with you," Applejack said as she and the others ran up to Twilight.

"Yes, despite how drab the forest can be, I wouldn't mind looking at the old styles of housing from generations ago," Rarity stated, flipping her mane.

"And somepony is going to need to come up with a joke as we all get maimed," Pinkie Pie joked.

"A tad morbid there sweetie," Applejack said.

As Twilight nodded to her friends, she turned and proceeded into the forest. Fluttershy seeing an opening tried to silently creep away but Rainbow Dash reached out her hoove and hooked her back into the main party. "We fly together, we die together," was all the blue Pegasus said as she dragged the scared and whimpering Pegasus along the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

Despite this not being the first time that the group of ponies had ventured into the Everfree, it was still creepy as the gnarled and twisted trees blocked much of the light from Celestia's sun and the crack of dead branches seemed to echo in the silence.

"So tell me again why we're going into the forest to find some creepy pony," Applejack asked.

"Well, uh, we shouldn't ignore our neighbors," Twilight hung her head as she hadn't actually thought of a plan or real reason for finding this strange stallion.

"You have no idea why we're here do you," Applejack bluntly said.

Twilight sighed. "Not really, I think I was just bored," she admitted. "But still, for the whole town to go into hiding over one stallion, that's a bit much. So maybe we get to know this pony and then everypony in town won't cower in fear over him."

"I wasn't afraid," Rainbow Dash reiterated from the back.

"Sure you weren't." Twilight rolled her eyes. "So does anyone know which way this manor is?"

"Well," Applejack hummed. "Muh Granny would tell stories about the different houses that she saw over the years and this one." She prodded the deed with her hoof. "Should be this'a way," she dragged that same hoof East.

"Great, we know where he lives," Fluttershy mumbled as the group trotted along. "That's half the work, we can go now right?" her whimpers carrying over the group.

"Sigh," Pinkie exhaled. "We can't, he's a new pony to town and thus needs a party or how else is going to make friends?"

"Friendship is very important, and it looks like we are here," Twilight proudly stated as they stood infront of a very large manor.

A flash of lightning illuminated the stately house. "But it's not even dark out?" Rarity questioned as the ponies walked to the door, missing the visage that moved from one of the windows.

"Hello," Twilight called out as she knocked on the door. "Mr. Uhh, well we don't actually know your name, but we're here to welcome you to Ponyville." The pounding ceased but after a moment the door slowly creaked open. "Oh, we're being invited in."

"Yeah, to get eaten," Rainbow scoffed but like the rest she followed the purple unicorn inside.

"Anypony home," Applejack shouted. The ponies jumped into the air when they heard a blood curdling scream. "What the hay." As they turned to a terrified Rarity.

"Oh these drapes, are so last century, it's horribly tacky," Rarity bemoaned as she examined the homes stylings.

Frowning the rest of the mares turned back to looking around. "Where the hay is this pony," Pinkie grumbled. "He's going to get the most intense party of his life if he doesn't come out right now," she threatened, her pink head swiveled before she dropped down out of view.

Twilight was busy looking at some of the antiques when lifting the lid off a vase Pinkie shoved her head out of the porcelain. With a yelp she dropped the lid, the loud clatter rang through the quiet home.

"Who dares, enter my home," a stern and powerful voice called out causing the mares to freeze and look up the large staircase.

"Celestia's mane," Twilight whispered. "He's bucking huge."

She and the others watched as this incredibly large figured wearing a cloak slowly descended the stairs.

"**I ask again, who dares to enter my home**," his voice unnaturally loud.

Something about the volume tickled at the back of Twilight's mind as if she should recognize it, but the fear of this mountain of a pony moving towards her overrode her more rational thought processes. "I u, Twikle Sparlight, friends, Villypone. Uh sir," she squeaked as she began to back up.

"From the village," the figure's voice echoed. "Come to mock me have you," he snarled.

"Nuh no, we uh," Applejack started to reply before a pink hoof grabbed her.

"**Get, OUT!" **the stallion roared.

"Run for it," Pinkie squealed as she ran out the front door.

With a scream the other mares followed closely behind, except had they looked back they would have noticed that a butter colored Pegasus was too afraid to even move.

"That," Twilight huffed as she and the other mares stood on the edge of the Everfree. "Was too close, jeez, he was so angry," Twilight snorted as she looked back through the trees. "Alright girls I think this friendship is a no go, sorry to drag you all away from what you were doing."

"Nonsense darling," Rarity flipped her luxurious hair. "It was a valiant effort, but unfortunately, some ponies just are not friendly."

"Why if everypony else wasn't running," Rainbow Dash landed and began hopping on her back hooves. "Why I'd given him a piece of my mind, Cloudsdale Style. Right Fluttershy," the cocky technicolor mare said. "Fluttershy," Rainbow looked around. "Hey gals, where's Fluttershy."

"Oh no." Collectively the mares turned their heads back towards the forest. "I think she was too scared to run."

"We have to help her," Twilight declared; however she made no motion to move forward. "I think we should ask for some help first though."

* * *

Back in the manor, the pink maned Pegasus was shivering in terror as this massive stallion stood over her. She began to whimper and plead for mercy as he stared down at her, his vibrant eyes like a swirling maelstrom, before he snorted and walked away. "Leave," he commanded as he walked back to the stairs, a faint flickering glow emanated from his head as the front door clicked open.

Fluttershy looked at that door as if it was her only lifeline and was already moving towards it when she heard a thump. Worried that the other pony was preparing something mean and evil she looked back over her withers and gasped. The stallion had collapsed on the stairs and was taking deep, ragged breathes that seemed to wrack his body with shakes. "Oh my," she whispered as she recognized an animal in pain and instead of leaving, she gently and quietly hovered over him. "Gosh, are you okay." Reaching out to touch him before he snarled and pushed up on his shaky hooves.

"I am fine, I command you to leave," he said again. The stairs however were beginning to prove too much for him as his pace slowed greatly.

"No you are not, Mr. Grumpy," Fluttershy floated in front of the stallion. "You are in incredible pain and I will help you," she said as she bit down on his cloak.

"No, stop," the stallion shouted as she revealed his hidden figure.

She dropped the fabric with a gasp as she saw what stood before her.

* * *

"Dear Princess Celestia, this is an urgent message," the alicorn princess read. "Something truly awful has happened." She continued with a chuckle, knowing that with Twilight an overdue book would be a national tragedy, but as she continued down the letter, she became progressively more worried. "Guard, gather Captain Shining Armor and a squadron, we are going to Ponyville urgently."

"Oh, I hope she got the letter," Twilight paced around the library.

"Come on Twi, you know I never lose a letter," Spike rolled his eyes as he stood off to the side, having learned to let Twilight walk herself to exhaustion rather than waste time stopping her. "She's probably urp-," he burped as a letter formed in front of him. "See right on time."

As Spike started to unfold the letter to begin reading it, Twilight forcefully levitated it out of his claws. "To my faithful student. Thank you for informing me of the situation, I and my guards will be coming to Ponyville straight away to handle the hostage negotiation."

"Hostage negotiation?" Rarity questioned. "Doesn't that seem a tad extreme?"

"Maybe, but Fluttershy is an Element of Harmony," Twilight agreed. "Princess Celestia just might not want to take any chances right now."

* * *

"Please, let me help you," Fluttershy pleaded as she followed closely behind the stallion.

"No," he shouted back. "I have not needed help in a long time, I will not need it now."

"Everypony can use help sometime," she countered. "Even one like you."

"I do not require aid." Steadfastly he stopped in a hallway.

"At least let me wrap up those open wounds," Fluttershy looked upon the large gashes on the stallion's body, the blood having soaked into his dark gray fur, matting it in place. "You could get an infection."

"I do not get sick," the stallion replied. "Your friends are likely waiting for you, go to them."

"My friends are not currently injured." Huffing she flew in front of the pony. "Now, I don't want to have to do this, but," she stammered as looked at the stubborn stallion. "You are going to let me help you."

"No." He said as he walked around her.

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"You will and you'll like it," Fluttershy shouted firmly which was barely above a normal speaking voice. Her frustration building at this pony's stubbornness.

"You will leave and do so quietly."

"I will leave if, you make me," Fluttershy challenged.

The stallion turned on his hooves and glared down at the annoyance. He raised his large front hoof above Fluttershy's head. Pausing he stared down and waited for her to flinch, when she didn't, he jabbed his hoof downward faster than most any living creature could see, but still the Element of Kindness did not move.

The stallion stopped his blow mere inches front striking her and set it back on the ground. "You are either very brave or very foolish." He sighed as he began walking again. "You may tend to my injuries, then you will leave."

Fluttershy did a small dance of joy as she squealed happily. "Sometimes, all one needs is someone who isn't willing to give up," she said as she trotted after the large pony.

* * *

"Twilight, we have arrived," Princess Celestia landed with her troops outside the library. "Now tell me my faithful student, where is this house?"

The remaining elements of harmony ran out to greet the Princess of the Sun and saw that the platoon of guardponies was numbering to almost triple digits. "This is a much larger force than what I expected."

"The large manor in the Everfree, I'll take you right there," Twilight nodded as she grabbed her saddlebag. "I have the elements in case we need them Princess."

"I hope we do not need them," Celestia said as she stared towards the direction she would be heading. "But that is potentially good thinking."

"Hey BBBFF," Twilight smiled at her brother.

"Sorry Twily, no time for that now, this is serious business." Stone faced Shining Armor ordered his troops to move into the tree line. "But, after this I wouldn't mind sitting down and having dinner with my LSBFF," he smiled at her.

"Who's that?" Rainbow asked as she flew with the group of other elements in the back.

"Yes," Rarity purred. "He is certainly a handsome looking stallion."

"That's my BBBFF," Twilight proudly stated.

"Your what?" Applejack questioned.

"Big Brother Best Friend Forever," Twilight explained.

"That's your brother," Pinkie gasped.

"Well, it's clear that a large flank isn't just something only you have then darling," Rarity teased as she watched Shining Armor walk from behind.

"Hey," Twilight retorted.

"Your brother is the Captain of the Guard?" Rainbow gasped. "He's the only one other than the Princesses who ranks higher than the Wonderbolts."

"Eyup," Twilight smirked. "Youngest Captain of the Guard in two centuries."

"Girls please, the chatter can come later," Princess Celestia scolded. "We are nearly there; I can feel him."

"Well that was certainly ominous," Pinkie stated.

"And there," Fluttershy finished knotting the bandages around the stallion's large barrel. "Now don't scratch at these for at least a week and they should heal up just fine."

"There, you have played nurse, now will you," the stallion started to say.

"Unfortunately I don't know enough about these bigger injuries to help," Fluttershy cut him off from dismissing her.

"It is fine, they have been there for a long time and nothing shall heal them," he spat. "Now if you will kindly," he tried once again to dismiss the Pegasus when a loud noise alerted.

"Attention, Resident, I am Guard Captain Shining Armor, release the Pegasus Fluttershy and any other ponies you have and then surrender. In the name of Princess Celestia."

"It would seem that your friends have called in the big guns," the stallion stood up on wobbly legs as he then began the long trek back towards the foyer.

"Oh my," Fluttershy gasped as she flew alongside him.

"Your highness, we have no answer, what are your orders?" Shining armor asked.

The royal alicorn began to walk past the line of troops. She opened her mouth to make a statement when the door slowly began to open.

"Guards, ready yourself," Shining Armor ordered as the ponies surrounding the house readied spell and crossbow at the structure.

A small mane of pink hair slowly looked out upon the masses before she let out a squeak and ducked back inside.

"Great, she's too afraid to be rescued," Rainbow Dash groaned.

"Uh," Shining Armor looked at his sister for context.

"Give her a minute," Twilight whispered. "Fluttershy, it's your friends, please come out," she called out.

The door creaked open once again and Fluttershy slow stepped out the door, she nervously began walking towards the line of guards, which once she cleared the patio awning was quickly grabbed by two Pegasus and flown behind the lines. "Oh my," she said as she was placed next to Celestia.

"You have what you came for, now **LEAVE!"** the voice roared, shaking the structure and startling the soldiers.

"Come outside Astrum, end this foolishness," Celestia commanded.

"Astrum?" Applejack whispered to Pinkie. "She knows that feller?"

The door swung open completely and while the guards had prepared to subdue a pony that came out, what walked out the door froze them in place.

Trotting defiantly up to the princess and looked down on her, with a shattered horn on his head and a defeathered wing on one side. The gray alicorn stood proudly. "Hello, sister."


	3. Chapter 3

"Dearest brother," Celestia smiled. "It truly is good to see you," she winced as she saw how Astrum was favoring his left side, a cruel reminder of her past.

"Yes, you have seen me, now take your subjects and leave," Astrum ordered. "I have had enough of you to last a lifetime."

"I take it you have not forgiven sister and I for our part in your, state," Celestia cringed at her brother's glare.

"Is it that obvious when I have not contacted you in fourteen hundred years," Astrum flared his nostrils.

"Does anypony have a clue as to what in tarnation they are saying," Applejack whispered to Twilight as the language the two alicorns were speaking was completely foreign to the earth pony farmer.

"I think it's ancient Equestrian," Twilight gasped as she recognized some of it from her studies. "Wow, no pony has heard this language in at least seven hundred years, the declensions and tenses. This is history in the making," she squealed as she tried to memorize as much of the conversation as she could.

"Really," Rainbow Dash scoffed. "The language is the cool thing, not that there's another alicorn in the world."

"Well we did just free Princess Luna a few weeks ago darling, this would be the second one in a month," Rarity chuckled. "Not exactly breaking new ground."

The girls were startled out of their conversation when Astrum stamped his hoof on the ground firmly, shaking the very earth beneath him, hastily reminding everyone that as an Alicorn, his mastery over the very world was nigh absolute.

"Astrum, please, sister has returned from her banishment, free of the taint that had infected her."

"I do not care, the demon she consorted with had nothing to do with her actions in our past," Astrum retorted. "I see not why I must return to _your _palace."

"It won't be my palace brother," Celestia pleaded, tears forming in her eyes. "It will be our home, there is so much time I wasted because I let my power and station cloud my judgment."

"Your excuses do nothing to warm my heart sister. You chose ruling over family," Astrum turned and started to walk away back to his home. "Some wounds never heal, you made sure of that," he flexed his wings in a show to get his point across.

All the ponies gasped as they watched Princess Celestia, sole ruler of Equestria for the last thousand years, kneel low. "I'm sorry."

Astrum stopped his march back to his home and turned to find his proud sister on the ground groveling, something in his many millennia alive, he had never seen.

"I know that I have done wrong, I understand that, but please," Celestia said to the ground. "Brother, please, let me make it right," she sniffled as she struggled with controlling her emotions. When dealing with normal ponies, this was an easy task to do, but for her family, for the alicorns she had known for hundreds of years before ruining her relationships with them, it was an insurmountable obstacle.

The gray alicorn slowly walked back towards his groveling sister. "I made so many mistakes over the centuries and I pushed away everypony I possibly cared for, in one manner or another, but I promise, I am a changed mare," Celestia sobbed. "I just need one last chance to prove it to you."

"Sister," Astrum said with care as he lowered his muzzle to the ground to nudge her face away from the dirt. "I will give you that chance," he softly promised.

"Truly, you will," Celestia gasped as she shot off the ground in excitement.

Astrum slowly nodded. "Yes, but I will remain in this, Ponyville, for the time being, I am not ready to be seen by the masses."

With hesitance, Celestia agreed, even though she would have preferred her brother to be in the castle with her and Luna, she accepted that he would at least not flee to the other side of the planet to avoid her as he had done previously. "I will accept, but I will be coming to see you often," she promised.

"Hmm," Astrum hummed as he closed his eyes.

"I'll bring Luna and blankets," Celestia pranced around her brother excitedly. "We'll have snacks and we shall slumber in the same room."

Her joy growing rapidly as she got in her head about all the fun they could have, mentally slipping back to how she used to be around her family. "Oh, I'll need to introduce you to so many ponies."

"Sister," Astrum interrupted. "I have no intention of being trotted out like some show stallion," he firmly stated.

Skidding to a stop Celestia quickly trotted over to her brother. "Of course not, I wouldn't do that," she stammered as she tried to make sure she didn't irk Astrum with her plans. "I just, there are those I feel important for you to know, such as your nieces and nephews, oh," Celestia perked up and galloped over to the six elements of harmony. "My faithful student and her friends, the new elements of harmony."

The princess of the sun began to nudge the girls closer to the imposing alicorn. "Ah yes, Twickle Sparlight, what a unique name," Astrum said as he recalled the introduction he was given by the mares.

Shining Armor snickered as he heard the new alicorn say his sister's name but stopped himself after a moment and regained his stern composure. "N-no, it's uh, Twi-Twilight Sparkle, sir, your highness, err majesty."

"Dominus Noster est Astrum Primus Omnium Finis Non," Astrum declared and the stars above seems the shake in response to his title.

The purple unicorn was unsure how to respond in that moment. "Brother," Celestia coughed into her hoof. "We have not used our full title in centuries. Yours would now be Prince Astrum."

"Why have you dropped the full regality?" Astrum titled his head towards his sister.

"Well besides showing that you have control over one of the cosmic bodies," Celestia commented as she looked up to the sky to see the stars above shining just a little brighter than usual. "It's awfully long and when being introduced over and over, it gets a bit exhausting," she admitted, to some gasps from the ponies around her. "So about six or seven centuries ago, I changed the title to Princess."

"Very well," Astrum said standing taller. "Then I shall be Prince Astrum," his voice carrying across the assembled masses of ponies.

"All hail Prince Astrum," the soldiers quickly shouted. "All hail Princess Celestia."

"What was that," Astrum questioned as he looked at the soldiers.

"Oh yes, well," Celestia blushed. "I could not be everywhere to protect my kingdom so I took from Luna's idea of assassins and had soldiers trained to work in the daytime to keep the peace. They are very loyal, if a tad overeager at times." Her words causing Shining Armor to look away in embarrassment.

"Hmm, the nightguard were special," Astrum admitted. "They were a ruthless and cutthroat organization capable of many things."

"Yes, which is why they have remained as such during Luna's banishment to the moon," Celestia informed. "But please, our conversations can wait, these are the rest of the elements."

"Howdie," Applejack introduced. "I'm Applejack, roughenist tougenist cowpony this side of Apploosa."

"Yes, the Apple family," Astrum nodded. "I am aware of how your family founded the nearby town."

At this comment Celestia was confused as she did not think her brother would have cared about learning the history of the populace during his self-imposed exile. "What, just because I did not engage with most societies does not mean I am ignorant of their existence sister."

"I am Rarity darling," the fashionista said as she bowed low for the new royalty. "And I must say, your choice of home décor is quite classical."

"Mmm, I always viewed it as too modern," Astrum mused as he preferred the stone and marble style, but modern houses, also known as any home built in the last four hundred years, used quite an excess of fabric and cushioning for comfort.

"I'm Rainbow Dash," the blue Pegasus declared as she flew up to eye level with the prince.

"The one who flew away the fastest, I recall, not many are that quick to flee in terror," Astrum noted.

"Why you," Rainbow snarled as she prepared to fling herself at the pony who called her a coward. Before the sound of Celestia clearing her throat and eyeing her fiercely made her reconsider her actions.

"And I'm Pinkie Pie," the part pony popped out of Astrum mane with a loud pop. "It's so nice to meet you, you're going to love Ponyville and ponies, I'm going to throw you the biggest, bestest most partiest party ever," she cried out as confetti flew from canons that appeared suddenly.

Nopony sure how to respond to that Twilight gently nudged Fluttershy forward. "I'm Fluttershy," she softly said.

"Sorry, she's really shy," Twilight chuckled as she tried to cover for her friend.

"I disagree, I found her to be very forceful and clearly a mare capable of getting what she wanted, there is nothing shy about her," Astrum retorted to the surprise of Fluttershy's friends. "She is also quite a talented and caring mare who was able to tend to my injuries," he stated as he turned so that others could see the fresh bandages around his barrel. "To which I will grant a boon, if it is in my power, miss Fluttershy, ask and I shall grant it," Astrum knelt to show respect.

"Oh um," the butter colored mare stammered. "Thank you, your highness," she quietly responded.

"It is getting late," Celestia said as she looked towards the sky, to see the position of Luna's moon.

"Yes," Astrum agreed. "It has been a long enough day, now get your soldiers off of my lawn sister," he jested as he turned back towards his home. "And next time you wish to visit, send a missive, not a platoon."

Chuckling Celestia nodded. "I will do just that brother, Shining Armor, I will be returning to Canterlot to tell my sister the wonderful news, you have leave to spend the night with your sister, I think today is an important day for family, wouldn't you agree?"

Nodding quickly, Shining Amor looked at his sister who he loved dearly. "I do your majesty, family is very important."

* * *

"Oh my gosh BBBFF," Twilight hopped along as she, her friends, her brother and his troops walked out of the Everfree. "Today has been amazing."

"It has been exhausting Twi," Shining Armor groaned. "I did not think this was going to be happening today, how in Tartarus did you get involved in this?"

"Well, you see it all started out when Spike and I came to town," Twilight's voice trailing off as she recapped the day's events.

Astrum shut the door to his manor and slowly walked up the steps to his bedroom, settling on a large cushion he gently laid down his head and sighed. "I hope for your sake, you mean it sister."

* * *

"Dearest Sister," Celestia said proudly as she galloped into the throne room, even though it was night court with her recent return the still filly sized princess of the night had no visitors for her to help settle any issues so she had just been sitting on the throne as she counted out the hours until it was time for her to sleep once more. "It's truly wonderful news," she stopped in front of the throne, dancing on the tips of her hooves like a giddy child.

"Yes, sister of mine," Luna said awkwardly as she was genuinely glad for something to break up the doldrum of waiting for the night to be over.

"I have found brother," Celestia giggled, forgoing decorum in front of the night guard. "Eeeheeheehee," she spun around as she couldn't contain her excitement.

Luna stood up abruptly from her laying position. "For truth, our dearest Astrum has returned," she gasped out as that was far and away what she was expecting to hear.

Nodding rapidly. "Yes Luna, he lives near Ponyville, in the forest where you were restored."

Luna could only open and close her mouth as she tried to comprehend this development. "And how did he look," she asked nervously as she could easily recall the last time that she had seen her brother.

"He is," Celestia suddenly looked sullen as she scrapped her forehoof on the marble flooring. "Alive…" she awkwardly answered.

"So the damage that we had wrought upon him those millennia ago yet remain," Luna sighed.

"It would seem so," Celestia closed her eyes and moved forward to nuzzle her sister. "We made such a huge mistake when we did that to him."

"Is there a way to undo the damage that was done," the princess of the night asked hopefully.

"I have looked for remedies, but nothing exists on restoration of the horn of a unicorn, nor the wings of a Pegasus, saying nothing of doing both for an alicorn," Celestia grimaced as memories of their fight were dragged to the forefront of her mind.


End file.
